MOBILE, Alabama – The man at the center of a community-wide controversy over his appointment to the local water board said Friday that "a lot of work needs to be done with the leadership" in Mobile on race relations beyond a community forum.

Sam Jones, mayor of Mobile from 2005-2013, said he would be interested in "sitting down and planning something" with Mayor Sandy Stimpson regarding a community forum about race relations and unity in Mobile.

Jones said he has not had a chance to discuss with Stimpson the particulars of a June 11 forum at the History Museum of Mobile. On Friday, Stimpson publicly asked Jones, his opponent during the sometimes divisive mayoral campaign last year, to attend and help lead it.

The forum, according to a news release late Friday, is tentatively titled "Moving Forward: An Honest Conversation."

"I have no direct information concerning that," Jones said when asked if he would accept Stimpson's invitation. "I don't want to go into a situation cold. I'd like to know what the intent is and what we are trying to achieve and the subject manner and it's difficult for me to respond (right now)."

Jones said he doesn't believe one community forum will "get a lot done" in the area of race relations in Mobile.

"You need to do some planning and get some goals and objectives and how best to implement the objectives," he said.

Jones declined to comment about the controversy regarding his potential selection to the MAWSS board or some of the back lash it has received by not only the council, but from the public on social media.

"I've intentionally stayed out of that," Jones said. "That's for the mayor and the City Council, and I have not involved myself in it and haven't shown up (to Government Plaza) for any of that."

The former mayor and county commissioner is Councilman Fred Richardson's choice to serve as the District 1 representative to the MAWSS board. Twice this month, the City Council voted 4-3 to defeat the nomination.

The votes set off a fire storm of back lash from both Richardson and his supporters and those who oppose the former mayor. Richardson had repeatedly said he would continue suggesting Jones' name for consideration, adding that no council appointment had ever been defeated before until his.